# RASS disappointment



## Fishbeadtwo (May 30, 2006)

I had my first one expecting bliss and was underwhelmed by this stick. Not at all like a Monte2 or 4 or even a Mag 46. Only having 4 more, I think these boys need to rest and get over the flu. Asking for guidance on a time frame until I wake another up for cremation. Had always heard they were good right out of the box....


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## cigar_joel (May 16, 2006)

Send them my way and i will smoke one every 6 months and let you know....lol. I have always had great flavor with these, fresh and aged!!! Give it six months and try again. If still not good, stash them way away and forget about them for a bit..A year or two...Then they should be quite good.IMO.:ss :ss 



Good Luck


Joel


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## Even Steven (Dec 15, 2006)

I don't think I've ever heard of these to be good out of the box (fresh), these babies were made for resting, give it atleast a year or two then try again and see how you like it.


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## LasciviousXXX (Oct 12, 2004)

I used to be a big supporter of young RASS. After having sampled some ones that weren't quite "aged" but still had time to settle I see the inherent value in letting them sleep for some years.

What's the age on the ones you have? If its late '06 and they're not wowing you then I would let 'em rest at least a year and then try again... if its still the same, then let them sleep for 2 years and things should be happier


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## Fishbeadtwo (May 30, 2006)

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What's the age on the ones you have?

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box says POS JUL 06

will forget about them till end of summer and try another I guess..............


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## Fishbeadtwo (May 30, 2006)

Box says Jul 06

guess they need to go the Rip Van Winkle route...........


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## LasciviousXXX (Oct 12, 2004)

My advice, let 'em sleep till AT LEAST the end of the year... then go back to 'em and try 'em again. Meanwhile keep yourself busy with some CoRo's, BBF's, and VR's which are smoking' excellent right off the truck


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## DETROITPHA357 (Jul 8, 2006)

wow or shall I say dang. Ive been waiting 2try 1or some of those, as I've heard so many good things about them. I was thinking about getting a box but I guess ill wait and maybe try a trade 1st. Thxs 4the heads up. (u guys r serious, i have 2wait 1-2years b4there ready to smoke)


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## JPH (Jun 30, 2006)

IMO those are insane fresh one of the great 06's ..... Sorry about your disappointment..... I'm pretty surprised.


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## pistol (Mar 23, 2006)

Dustin, your CoRo's are smoking nice off the truck? I only had one out of my box (06) and it was terrible... I'm not touching these again for two years (I'm serious too, no bullchit!).


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## LasciviousXXX (Oct 12, 2004)

pistol said:


> Dustin, your CoRo's are smoking nice off the truck? I only had one out of my box (06) and it was terrible... I'm not touching these again for two years (I'm serious too, no bullchit!).


Yep, late '06s are perfoming like a champ for me. I'll look up the box code when I get home but mine were some of the best I've had for the last 3-4 years crop. Doesn't hold a candle to the mid to late 90's obviously but much better than '03 '04 '05 etc.


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## Guitarman-S.T- (Jun 14, 2006)

Fishbeadtwo said:


> I had my first one expecting bliss and was underwhelmed by this stick. Not at all like a Monte2 or 4 or even a Mag 46. Only having 4 more, I think these boys need to rest and get over the flu. Asking for guidance on a time frame until I wake another up for cremation. Had always heard they were good right out of the box....


never tried one, are they anything like a party short? i do have some experience with those little guys-


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## Even Steven (Dec 15, 2006)

Fishbeadtwo said:


> What's the age on the ones you have?
> 
> box says POS JUL 06
> 
> will forget about them till end of summer and try another I guess..............


I have the same box! I smoked one about a week after I received it, very spicy, a little harsh and a lot of rough edges to smooth out.


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## donp (Mar 5, 2006)

Even Steven said:


> I don't think I've ever heard of these to be good out of the box (fresh), these babies were made for resting, give it atleast a year or two then try again and see how you like it.


Hmmm, I wrote a review of these a while back when I first got some; they were excellent. Of course I didn't smoke em right out of the box, I let em rest for at least a week or two. :ss But the ones I have were very good new. Now however, they need some rest as the taste has gotten a bit "off". Thats okay though, I have time.
Otoh the Mag 46's I have are tasting pretty awful right now. I won't smoke another one until at least the end of the summer; hopefully they will be feeling better.


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## stormin (Feb 11, 2005)

Somehow I think you need to distinguish if the smoke is not to your liking because it is too young or perhaps the flavour profile is just not to your liking. Sounds to me like this was the first one you smoked, in which case the latter statement may be true. The flavour profile of a RASS is considerably different from the Montes you mentioned.


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## drdice (Sep 11, 2006)

I've had the EXACT same problem. I've got a box from September I believe -2006 and have tried 3 so far....they've been quite poor. Bitter and harsh for the most part. I'll revisit them at their 1 year anniversary date. I've had same thing happen with Upmanns Mag 46----not as harsh but extremely BLAND. They too are in hibernation as we speak.

But, thank God I boght some PLPC's....damn those taste great fresh! I've got 2 cabs from Oct 2006. They are also very nicely priced!

Party Shorts from 2006 have also been great out of the box.


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## ATLHARP (May 3, 2005)

Fishbeadtwo said:


> I had my first one expecting bliss and was underwhelmed by this stick. Not at all like a Monte2 or 4 or even a Mag 46. Only having 4 more, I think these boys need to rest and get over the flu. Asking for guidance on a time frame until I wake another up for cremation. Had always heard they were good right out of the box....


When I first started smoking RASS's I wasn't that impressed either. As time went on, and the more of them that I smoked I found them to be a consistently pleasant cigar. The RASS is one of the best habanos made for a reason. Sit the other boys down for a bit and spark'em up later!

ATL


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

The RASS is one cigar I feel has gone downhill since 2000; the same with Partagas Serie D- two formally great cigars that are just lackluster today.


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## LiteHedded (Apr 10, 2005)

my pos jul 06's are fantastic
send em to me and I'll dispose of them


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## carni (Jan 18, 2007)

let the RASS age, you will not be dissapointed. If you have four left I would smoke one in 6 months, smoke another 6 months after that, and the last two a year after that. By the last two you will not believe how good they are and the transition they made.

Here is a list of cc that have smoked great for me with recent box dates, this helps with patience for the aged sticks:

Party Short
Boli RC
Diplo No.2
trini reyes


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

It is amazing to me that people have read enough to know that the RASS is awesome, but not enough to know people everywhere regard them as a must age smoke. A few Off the Truck believers notwithstanding, these should never be purchased as a "I am almost out of cigars, which box should I get next" kind of cigar. Better to plan ahead and DO buy the boxes, but buy them because there is no time like 6 months ago to buy a good box to age.
Not tring to cap on anyone here, but this is one of those cigars with special needs, like the PSD4. Hey, you took the first step, and that is getting them to your house. Now, go out and get a few boxes of Monte #5 to smoke now.


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## Quint (Oct 19, 2006)

I was also quite disappionted in the RASS with all the hype about how good they were smoking young. Pretty much a lousy smoke was my experience until I smoked one the other day gifted to my by mrbl8k. I don't know what the box code was but I do know it was a new purchase for him. It was a dark oily wrapper and finally was good enough smoke where I could see these being excellent with a few years on them. Might even get a box or 2 to put away for a few years.


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

A couple years back, I decided that I had enough smokeable stash that I could set a few boxes of these back for a spell, so I ordered the way you have to when you intend to ACTUALLY save some for later, hehe, three boxes at once. They are ZEI Feb 05, I think if memory serves. As soon as I get two more boxes, I will crack one of them open I guess. But the reward for waiting is really something special with these, although I HAVE been disappointed that only about 15-18 in a box of 25 will be good enough to call worth it.


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## Fredster (Jan 26, 2004)

mosesbotbol said:


> The RASS is one cigar I feel has gone downhill since 2000; the same with Partagas Serie D- two formally great cigars that are just lackluster today.


I disagree on both cigars.

The 06 D4's are the best I've seen post 1995. They actually smoke pretty good now and are not sick at all. Quality is top notch.

The RASS are some of the most consistant cigars out there also, they just need more than average time. I have some 98's that are awsome. I also have some cabs of 04's that are just at the bare minimum smoking age for this cigar IMO. I have stocked up and won't smoke the RASS without 5 years age. Plenty of other good Cuban robustos and Hermosos that are available with a few years age that are already smoking perfect. One example is the Romeo Ex#4 cabs from 03. This cigar is outstanding with only 3 or 4 years and the 03's are everywhere.


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## 12stones (Jan 6, 2006)

I've found that the early 06 RASS were smoking good right out of the box but the later 06s haven't. I'd love to be able to put them away as Fredster suggests, but it's just so damn hard.


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## Made in Dade (Aug 5, 2006)

I must say when I had my first RASS, I was dissappointed myself. I think it was just that particular one, because I have yet to have a bad one since then. Truly, one of my favorite smokes. I say let them sit for two weeks, then spark one up, see where your at then.


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## jesto68 (Dec 7, 2006)

I have a few that have been resting since last summer. I took one out Friday for a test drive - and I was pleasantly surprised - it was awesome!

I had heard stories here that they needed time to rest - and I figured since I had a few it wouldn't hurt to try one now, wait 6 months and try another, and so on.

But I must say - it was tasty from the first puff.

Sorry to hear yours were off.


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## Gargamel (Nov 8, 2004)

It's like picking cherries while they are immature and wondering why they taste funny.


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## qwerty1500 (Feb 24, 2006)

I've smoked a cab and a half of them young and really liked every single one of them. I've heard so much about these with some age on them, so the last half cab has been put away for a loooong nap.


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## Fishbeadtwo (May 30, 2006)

Please don't berate me for going against the sage advise of my jungle elders. I went on a trout fishing trip and wanted to give the RASS another try. Number 2 of 5 seemed quite a bit better than #1, a bit harsh at first but settled down nicely after the first inch or so. I can see where these babies would be GREAT given the patience and time to let them site for another 6 to 9 months. I'll try to be more patient and wait at least another 2 months before trying # 3. Wish me luck.......


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## audio1der (Mar 8, 2006)

All of the RASS I have ever sampled were well aged stock, and they were all boring and uneventful. Single-dimensional taste but with lots of smoke and a good burn and draw.
I won't be buying a box. I know each to their own, but these don't hold a candle next to the most mundane Boli or Uppman.


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## donp (Mar 5, 2006)

Here is something that as a relative newb to cc's, I have come to realize:

-Cuban cigars are not consistent tastewise or construction wise, but generally across the board very, very good.
-CC's tend to need more time to mature once purchased than non cuban cigars, but once they have reached that oh so pleasant level of maturation, they are oh so good.
- if you get a good box it is a wonderful and lucky thing
- if you get some duds in a box, be patient, time will/may help them come around

One thing is for sure, cc's are not like nc's and it is impossible to expect a smoke from one box/year to be the exact same thing as one from a different box/year.


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## hamncheese (Oct 5, 2006)

You shouldn't be worried about being berated for smoking your own cigars! You bought a 5er, which is a good way to _try_ a cigar that you're unfamiliar with. All you're really looking to do is see what they might have to offer. You don't buy 5ers for serious long-term aging lol. I say smoke them at your leisure. What happens if you wait 2 years to smoke one and then you realize that you love them at that age? Now you need to buy a box and wait another 2 years! If you smoke em now and see how they perform (remember the rule of 5s... 1 will suck 1 will be awesome and 3 will be in the middle with some adjustments made for particular vitolas), then you will better educate yourself about them and be able to form a better grounded opinion. I likes em at any age. Smoke em up!


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